The use of transcutaneous electrotherapy to treat medicinal conditions is known. Transcutaneous electrotherapy involves the passage of an electrical current from one electrode to another, such that the therapeutic current is caused to pass through a target tissue of the patient. Some exemplary devices used in the performance of transcutaneous electrotherapy are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 397,474; 3,794,022; 4,180,079; 4,446,870; 5,058,605; in French Patent 2621-827-A; and European Patent Application EP-377-057-A.
Although the use of transcutaneous electrotherapy has been around for a while, in many ways there are undesirable aspects. For example, transcutaneous electrotherapy causes electrical current to pass through the target tissue of the patient. Many patients may find this unsettling, painful or otherwise undesirable. Additionally, too much current, usually over about 1 milli-amp, can also become uncomfortable, painful, and harmful to the patient. Current also tends to concentrate near the electrodes or along current paths, which is often not desirable when trying to control the current density in tissue. In addition, the highly variable impedance nature of tissue makes it difficult to try to determine and repeat the proper treatment duration and settings.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an effective alternative to transcutaneous electrotherapy techniques wherein electric current is not required to flow through the tissue of the patient, which is also easier and simple to apply, can more evenly distribute it's benefits, provide more accurate results, and is more effective.
Other existing medical procedures, including such procedures as surgical cut and lift, laser resurfacing, and chemical peels damage the outer layers of skin, which must then be renewed. This takes time, and there is risk of burning and scaring. Angioplasty for treatment of coronary circulation impairments is expensive, localized, and requires surgical techniques. Also, this procedure is expensive, requires skilled professional administration, and carries a certain degree of risk, as well as inconvenience, and generally requires a healing period.
Various existing inhalants are available for relief of symptoms of pulmonary conditions, but they often do not correct them, as so consequently require continual usage.
Other existing medical drug therapy techniques have limitations which may be undesirable. Drugs work by altering, interfering with, supplementing or reacting in chemical means in the body. As such, they may exhibit potent results, but will generally require a variety of different compounds to provide a useful range of therapies. There may also be side effects. Thus it is desirable to provide a substance with drug like action, for use in a medicinal way, that is relatively simple to make, simple in structure, is easy to make and apply, has a wide range of uses, more permanent results, can provide more effective results than existing medications for many conditions, and does not cause electrical current to directly flow through the tissue of the recipient, whether a human or an animal. This invention provides such a means.